Claims
- 1. A method of bonding a fibrous wet laid nonwoven paper or fabric-like product which comprises adding to the fibers thereof as a binder prior to wet forming the product a minor portion of an aqueous dispersion of a bacterial cellulose essentially free of bacterial cells, said bacterial cellulose having a reticulated structure formed by a substantially continuous network of branching interconnected cellulose strands, said bacterial cellulose being produced by a microorganism of the genus Acetobacter cultured under agitated aerobic conditions, said microorganism being selected from a stable strain resistant to mutation to non-cellulose producing types under said culturing conditions.
- 2. The method of claim 1 in which the bacterial cellulose binder is present in an amount of 1-30% by weight of the product.
- 3. The method of claim 2 in which the bacterial cellulose binder is present in an amount of 2-20% by weight of the product.
- 4. The method of claim 1 in which the fibers are selected from the group consisting of cellulose, polyester, polyolefin, nylon, acrylic, glass, and metal fibers.
- 5. The method of claim 4 in which the major portion of the fibers are polyester.
- 6. The method of claim 4 in which the major portion of the fibers are polyolefin.
- 7. The method of claim 6 in which the major portion of the fibers are polypropylene.
- 8. The method of claim 4 in which the major portion of the fibers are rayon.
- 9. The method of claim 4 in which the major portion of the fibers are wood pulp fibers.
- 10. The method of claim 1 which further includes wet forming the product over a mask-like drainage means to produce a pattern bonded material.
- 11. A nonwoven paper or fabric-like product comprising a major portion of a fibrous substrate forming material and a minor portion of a bacterial cellulose essentially free of bacterial cells serving as a binder for the fibrous material, said bacterial cellulose being produced by a microorganism of the genus Acetobacter cultured under agitated aerobic conditions and having a reticulated structure formed by a substantially continuous network of branching interconnected cellulose strands, said microorganism being selected from a stable strain resistant to mutation to non-cellulose producing types under said culturing conditions.
- 12. The product of claim 11 in which the bacterial cellulose binder is present in an amount of 1-30% by weight of the product.
- 13. The product of claim 12 in which the bacterial cellulose binder is present in an amount of 2-20% by weight of the product.
- 14. The product of claim 11 in which the fiber in the substrate forming material is selected from the group consisting of cellulose, polyester, polyolefin, nylon, acrylic, glass, and metal fibers.
- 15. The product of claim 14 in which the major portion of the fibers are polyester.
- 16. The product of claim 14 in which the major portion of the fibers are polyolefin.
- 17. The product of claim 16 in which the major portion of the fibers are polypropylene.
- 18. The product of claim 14 in which the major portion of the fibers are rayon.
- 19. The product of claim 14 in which the major portion of the fibers are wood pulp fibers.
- 20. The product of claim 11 which is pattern bonded in localized areas by the bacterial cellulose.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 06/849,982, filed Apr. 10, 1986 abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
51-11902 |
Jan 1976 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Casey, Pulp and Paper, 3rd ed. (1980), vol. II, p. 1130. |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
849982 |
Apr 1986 |
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